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should i contact my boyfriend's doctor?
My boyfriend (age 27) has suffered from depression for the 6 years that I have known him. He is fiercely private about it, but when we moved in together a year ago, it became obvious. He sometimes cries for hours and I cannot console him. He says he has no motivation, no purpose in life, he claims to be "numb" to all emotion. He tells me he's worthless and that I deserve better. I love him and our relationship has brought me great joy when he is in a more stable mood, but it hurts me to see him when he is so broken and sad. This last month has been the worst I have ever seen him. He asked me to move out so he can have time with his own thoughts. I've begged him to get professional help but he insists that if he admits to his doctor that he is depressed, he will no longer be able to get the ritalin which is the only thing helping him do well in school. He cannot tolerate the idea of antidepressants. He is going to his doctor next week to get a new prescription for more ritalin. I want to secretly contact his doctor and give her this information, but I know he will hate me if he finds out that I went behind his back. What should I do?? Please help.
YES MOST DEF.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi Lisa.
Your boyfriend has backed both you and himself into a corner. Many people with clinical depression are unable to confront it as a problem. Depressed people often feel ashamed because they believe (as many people do) that they SHOULD be able to pull themselves out of their depression, etc. You can help your boyfriend by sharing information about depression and assuring him that it’s caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain—not a human “failing.” He needs lots of reassurance.
Ritalin is associated with depression in some, but not all, people. And here’s the vicious circle: he believes Ritalin is helping him, but clearly it’s no longer working for him. Now he’s depressed, and there’s a possibility it will get worse, and he won’t be able to successfully continue school if he continues. It’s possible that other drugs may help him more than Ritalin at this point.
I’m not a psychiatrist, so can’t speak to the efficacy of other drugs. I’d suggest you repost this in the Mental Health Expert Forum for some further information about alternatives to Ritalin. Best of luck to you. Dr. J
http://www.medhelp.org/forum_disclaimers/show/122
Your boyfriend has backed both you and himself into a corner. Many people with clinical depression are unable to confront it as a problem. Depressed people often feel ashamed because they believe (as many people do) that they SHOULD be able to pull themselves out of their depression, etc. You can help your boyfriend by sharing information about depression and assuring him that it’s caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain—not a human “failing.” He needs lots of reassurance.
Ritalin is associated with depression in some, but not all, people. And here’s the vicious circle: he believes Ritalin is helping him, but clearly it’s no longer working for him. Now he’s depressed, and there’s a possibility it will get worse, and he won’t be able to successfully continue school if he continues. It’s possible that other drugs may help him more than Ritalin at this point.
I’m not a psychiatrist, so can’t speak to the efficacy of other drugs. I’d suggest you repost this in the Mental Health Expert Forum for some further information about alternatives to Ritalin. Best of luck to you. Dr. J
http://www.medhelp.org/forum_disclaimers/show/122
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